The Department of Veterans Affairs has added CLEAR and passkey sign-in to VA.gov as part of a redesign of the site that went live on November 11. Login.gov and ID.me remain available, and VA said all four sign-in options are free and optional.
The department began piloting CLEAR sign-in on VA.gov in early October. CLEAR, a biometric and digital identity verification platform, can be set up once online or in person at VA medical centers in Atlanta; Brooklyn, New York; Orlando, Florida; Palo Alto, California; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C. Veterans then sign in with a face scan. VA said veterans’ health information stays with the department.
Passkeys let users sign in with their device’s fingerprint, face scan or PIN instead of a password. VA said the fingerprint or face scan never leaves the device.
The redesign also changes how long veterans stay signed in. On their most trusted device, a sign-in now lasts for months, and a single sign-in reaches claims, health chat and the status tracker. A Magic Link sent by text lets veterans check where a claim stands without a password.
Other changes include a homepage with a more prominent sign-in area, a search tool that accepts questions in users’ own words, real-time tracking of claims from submission to decision, and a QuickSubmit feature that cuts form completion and document upload from 11 steps to three using pre-filled forms.
VA said nearly 90,000 survey responses collected from veterans, service members, family members, caregivers and survivors between March and May 2026 shaped the upgrades, and that veterans tested them before launch. The site keeps the same address and accounts, and the changes do not affect benefits, claims, appointments or eligibility.
VA said VA.gov works alongside its medical centers, clinics, regional offices, accredited representatives and veterans service organizations rather than replacing them, so veterans who prefer to deal with a person can still get help that way.
“Veterans told us what was getting in their way, and we listened. Every one of these upgrades gives Veterans and their families time back: Less time signing in and searching, and more time getting the care and benefits they’ve earned,” said Paul R. Lawrence, deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs.
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
